“Haseena.”
Karishma rushes out of the bedroom and speeds her way to Haseena who is cooking breakfast in the kitchen. Her hands are still busy with tying up her long auburn hair into a ponytail when she reaches the kitchen. Haseena flips the scrambled egg in the pan before looking over her shoulder.
“Good morning.” Haseena says for a second time this morning; the first time Karishma was too sleepy to acknowledge anything. She gets a quick kiss on her cheek from Karishma who seems to have things on her mind and can’t wait to share it with her wife. “What is it?”
“We can set Alice up with Jack.” Karishma reveals her great idea that she has got while taking a shower. It sounds sensible on her part but with a chuckle and a glance from Haseena, she starts to doubt everything. “They’re both single. They’re both amazing. They have things... in common.”
Haseena pours the egg into two plates that are waiting by the stove. “You know, how you mentioned that I’ve never really said ‘no’ to you.”
“Yeah?”
“Well, no.” Haseena grabs both plates and heads to the dining table with Karishma right behind her. “Can you grab the coffee, please?”
Karishma is in a hurry to pitch her idea in more details but still, turns back to grab two coffee mugs that are filled with coffee; one with a little milk and one without. “Why not? Jack is great.”
“Jack is great but Jack is in love with someone else.” Haseena sits down and reaches over to start cutting up sausages on Karishma’s plate. “Are you suggesting that they should be on a rebound relationship?”
“Yes and no.” Karishma is too busy explaining her idea that she doesn’t notice how Haseena is now buttering toasts for her as well. Haseena’s eyes are on her but her hands are arranging food on Karishma’s plate. “Jack and Kat are never going to happen anyway...”
“And you know that for sure?”
“Honey.”
“I’m just asking.” Haseena smiles. She finds a very determined Karishma adorable although she might get her head decapitated for interrupting her.
“And Benjamin puts target on his back now. There is no way that you and Kevin will let him come anywhere near Alice.” Karishma knows these people well enough now. Kevin is probably going to intimidate the man until he pees himself while her sweetest Haseena is probably going to make sure that the man lives in hell.
Haseena shrugs as she agrees with that statement. “That’s true.”
“So I see no reasons why they can’t go out on a date... a blind date.”
“Karishma.” Haseena puts a couple of buttered toasts on Karishma’s plate before starting her argument. She needs reasons when talking with Karishma. She can’t just say nonsense things and gets away with it. Karishma doesn’t allow that. “I’ve known Alice for like 50 years...”
Karishma scoffs. “You’re 29.”
“Exactly. So no. I don’t want her to be in a rebound relationship. No. It feels like hell bound.”
“You’re being overprotective.” Karishma mumbles before looking down at her plate. Everything on her plate is ready to be eaten. She looks up and caresses Haseena’s face adoringly. “Aw. Baby.”
Haseena smiles with food in her mouth. Her dimples are replaced by her puffed cheeks.
“We can do like a group hangout and have them decide for themselves.” Karishma negotiates quietly while having her heartfelt breakfast. Haseena knows that she won’t drop this. This becomes something she has set her mind on now. It becomes her mission.
Haseena dials her phone and turns on the speaker. “Alice.”
“Did you take 10 bucks from my purse? I know I have 10 bucks in my purse.” Alice greets with such an unusual greeting.
“That’s Kev. You puked in his car.” Haseena sips her coffee and glances over to see Karishma smile to that story. “Quick question.”
“I didn’t puke.” Alice answers. She doesn’t sound so sure but she needs to take some stand to the embarrassing accusation.
“Do you want to go on a date with Jack?”
“Who’s Jack? Oh. The buzz cut guy? The doctor from your wedding? Has he grown his hair?”
“Yes. He’s grown two strains of hair over his ear.” Karishma shakes her head with Haseena’s answer but a smile on her face is still there. Haseena reaches over to playfully pinch her cheek.
“Yeah. Why not? Tell me when and where then.” Alice answers with a sigh. She is not in a mood for this kind of thing but at least, it’s better than nothing. “Did I really puke?”
“Kevin has a video.”
“I’ll call Kev. Hanging up now.” Alice is in a rush of hanging up. If Kevin really has the video, she needs him to erase it as fast as she can.
“Should we have them over or should we just let them be?” Karishma asks with a smirk.
Haseena sighs and leans back against the chair. “Fine. We’ll let them be.”
“Baby, don’t worry. Jack is a nice person. At the very least, if they don't have a good time and they would go on their separate ways.” Karishma can see how Haseena is against it and how concerned she is with her best friend. She reaches for her hand and presses a kiss on it. “I’ll kill Jack with my bare hands if he does nasty things.”
Haseena looks at Karishma who is now holding up her pinky in front of Haseena. She links her pinky with hers. “Fine.”
Karishma smilingly leans towards Haseena and stops halfway. Haseena smirks and leans in to meet her halfway. They kiss. “Love you.”
“Love you too.”
After a couple knocks and a ring at the door, Mira finally gets to the door after putting her two-month-old baby boy in his crib. It’s Haseena at another side of the door. She is making a random visit before work as usual. These few months, Haseena’s morning schedule has been slightly changed. Sometimes, she would walk with Karishma to work and take a train to Mira’s to spend a little time with her nephew. Then, she would go to work. Maybe it’s a good thing after all that her working hour is very flexible.
“Is he asleep?” Haseena asks almost immediately. She puts her backpack down by the door and puts her jacket over it.
“No. I’ve just fed him.” Mira closes the door behind her and smiles at Haseena’s enthusiasm. Before Harry’s birth, everyone kept saying how Haseena was going to spoil the baby so hard. Now this is evident that it is more than true. Haseena is head over heels for her little nephew. “I really think he remembers you. He knows you’re going to come.”
“Of course, he does. I’m his favorite aunt.” Haseena makes her way up the stairs with Mira following not so far behind.
Mira scoffs. “I’ll tell Karishma that.”
“No.” Haseena quickly replies. “Don’t tell her that.”
They get to the baby room. Everything in the room is neutral. Nothing is too blue and nothing is too pink. ‘He might prefer green. I don’t know. He hasn’t spoken yet.’; that’s something Mira told her mom when she was asked. The room is filled with toys that Haseena has bought for him; some Star Wars and some Disney things. Once Haseena gets to the crib, Harry is still awake and toothlessly smiling at both of the girls. He is the most little precious thing.
“Hey, buddy.” Haseena whispers and gently rubs his tummy that makes him giggle. “Hi.”
“Hi.” Mira whispers cheerfully when Harry’s eyes catch her. He’s got his big green eyes from his father and they are as beautiful as they can ever be for a baby boy.
“Oh.” Haseena changes her tone when she turns to Mira. This visit includes some business matter that needs to be addressed. “I’m changing the beneficiary in my life insurance. Well, not really changing. I’m downgrading you.”
“That makes sense that you put Karishma first. What doesn’t make sense is you waited until now to do it.” Mira glances at Harry once in a while and sees how he is looking at Haseena who is shifting all her attention towards him again. It is almost like Haseena’s entire world is split in half; one for Harry and one for Karishma.
“I just remember that I have it.” Haseena mumbles her excuse.
“You expect me to believe that?” Mira arranges a teddy bear in Harry’s crib and caresses his cheek softly with a smile on her face and a heart on her eyes.
“Karishma wants to set Alice up with her doctor friend.” Haseena changes the subject that is equally interesting to Mira as the life insurance matter.
Mira glances but doesn’t make any comments. Haseena carries this all the way across to let it out by Harry’s crib so she’ll just let her get it out.
“Jack is great.” Haseena sits on a bean bag that she bought as one of many gifts for Harry. It’s rather too big for a baby and Mira is not exactly a fan. Amar doesn’t know how to sit on it properly so the only one who uses it is the one who bought it. “But it won’t go anywhere. If Alice happened to like him, she would end up getting hurt... again.”
“Did Alice agree to go out with him?” Mira asks.
“She did.”
“Then, you have to let her decide for herself.” Mira squeezes herself on the remaining space on the bean bag. It is not very comfortable but in order for Haseena to listen, she needs to be close enough. “I know you’re worried about Alice but don’t forget that Karishma is also surrounded with good people. Also, she is your wife. She cares about your friends as much as you do.”
Haseena wants to argue with that but whatever she says will appear to be wrong. She adjusts her sitting position on the bean bag and crosses her arms over her chest. “It’ll be just a rebound thing.”
“So let it be.”
“One will feel more and that one is going to be Alice, Mira.”
Mira glances. She doesn’t understand why Haseena makes such a fuss about this and the only thing she can do is guess. Her wildest guess has a name and the name is Zoe. They were both a real couple and a rebound thing. It was confusing once she learned about it and she is glad that Haseena got out of that cycle.
“It will end up in disaster.”
Before Mira makes more argument on that, her doorbell rings. “That’s probably mom.”
“Amar picked her up?” Haseena looks at her watch. It’s later in the morning and it amazes her a bit that Amar takes his time off work to pick up mom from Tarrytown.
“No. She took an Uber.” Mira quickly gets up on her feet to get the door. “Watch Harry.”
“Okay. Be quick. I have to get to work.” Haseena replies. “Mom has never paid 50 bucks to see us, hasn’t she? Harry, don’t ley grandma take over your life, buddy.”
“You’re going with me. On that date with this Jack guy. Grab your jacket.”
Alice announces once she gets into Haseena’s condo. Haseena is still at the door closing it behind her but her face expression is loud and clear all the way across the hall into the living room where Alice is. Alice feels it but she decides to ignore it.
No.” Haseena makes sure that her face expression has a voice. She doesn’t want to go and if she has a say, she doesn’t want Alice to go either. “You don’t have to go if you don’t want to go. Let’s hang out here.”
“I want to go. But you’re going with me.” Alice is being stubborn and she very much prefers Haseena’s new couch than the old one at the apartment. Before she gets more comfortable, she looks around trying to find the presence of Karishma but she fails. “Where is Karishma?”
“She is on 24-hour shift.”
“Yikes.” Alice exclaims. She finds it impossible for someone to be working 24 hours straight. Karishma is practically a hero in her eyes. “So we don’t have to tell her. Grab your jacket. Come on.”
“No.” Haseena throws herself down on the couch. Next to Alice. She plans to implant herself on the couch and nothing will get her off it. “I don’t want to go. Go to Han’s and have him keep an eye on you.”
“Remember that mask... the Darth Vader helmet thing that when you wear it, you can make that annoying breathing sound like you have an asthma? The one that you want? That one that Karishma hates so much that she wouldn’t let you get it? I’ll get that for you.” Alice knows she has an upper hand when Haseena stops denying.
“Are you bribing me?”
“Yes.”
Haseena pauses and thinks before extending her hand out for Alice. Alice takes it and it is a deal. “Let me grab the jacket.”
Alice and Jack decide to go out at the bar near the hospital; the one Haseena and Karishma went on their first date. There are plenty activities to do in case conversations get dull. Haseena takes a seat at the bar counter while Alice is within her sight at a table in the middle. Her job is to blend in and not make it obvious that she comes as Alice’s wingman. A few minutes later, Jack appears at the entrance and Alice waves at the buzz cut man. Haseena is secretly looking over shoulder to the scene. She is so occupied that she doesn’t notice someone has taken an empty stool next to her.
“Hi.” Danielle greets and that makes Haseena jump a little. “Oh, I’m sorry. Sorry.”
Haseena smiles awkwardly and tries to sit properly on the stool again. “Hi.”
“Haseena, right?” Danielle pretends to be unsure when in fact, she remembers the name by heart. It took her seconds before walking up to Haseena. She took her shot and she hoped it would be worth it.
“Yes.” Haseena clears her throat and sips her cola. “I’m sorry I don’t remember your name.”
“Danielle.” Danielle says and tucks her hair behind her ear. “I work with your wife.”
“Yes. Yes. I remember that part.” Haseena secretly looks over her shoulder again to check on Alice who seems to also look over at Haseena. She is just checking that Haseena is still there; not that she wants to bail now. Danielle looks at the same direction as Haseena and chuckles. “Jack also asked me to be his wingman because everyone else is on 24-hour shift.”
Haseena turns to face Danielle who lets her shoulder-length hair down showing off her loose waves. She is hearing an accent and immediately drawn to it. “Are you from the south?”
“Ah.” Danielle suddenly feels nervous like she is asked a very difficult question that if she got it wrong, it would be a matter of life and death. “Yes. Memphis. Well, not really Memphis. Like this tiny town outside Memphis. Am I rambling?”
Haseena chuckles. Her eyes are elsewhere but her words are directed at her new acquaintance. “Just a little. Don’t worry. We’re all like that sometimes.”
Danielle smiles and takes a quick gaze. “Can I buy you a beer?”
“Ah. No. I don’t drink. Thanks.”
“She doesn’t drink without her wife.” Alice shows up behind them and that makes Haseena startle a little bit again.
“Why are you here?” Haseena’s eyes suddenly go wide. This is not their plan. It’s almost like Alice is breaking the fourth wall and now Haseena is not sure what to do. “Jack would know.”
“He knows. Come sit with us.” Alice announces and also gestures towards Danielle. “Hi, I’m Alice.”
“Danielle.”
“Grab your drinks and come sit with us.” Alice repeats herself before leading them to the table where Jack is sitting with two bottles of beer and two baskets of hamburgers on the table. They got along fine until Alice made an obvious glance at Haseena and Jack looked over. Confessions were made and they decided to get their wingmen sitting with them.
“What are you doing with a glass of cola?” Jack asks as soon as he sees a glass of cola in Haseena’s hand as she sits down. She grabs some fries from Alice’s burger and looks at him; she doesn’t understand what is wrong with her cola. “This is a bar; not a McDonald’s.”
“She doesn’t drink without Karishma.” Alice says.
“Should I call her?” Jack asks as he pulls his phone out of his pocket.
“What? No.” Haseena scoffs. “I don’t need Karishma’s permission to drink. I’m an adult. I have an ID.”
Danielle giggles quietly and quickly stops when Haseena glances over at her. “Sorry.”
“Bartender! Line this table with booze!"
“Told you.” Alice leans closer to Jack and nudges him a bit. “They are practically the same person; Karishma and Haseena.”
“Yeah.” Jack chuckles in amusement and sips his beer. “Will she be okay drinking?”
“You’re a doctor. You tell me.” Alice smirks before sipping her wine.
After a couple shots of tequila, Haseena tries to sit still. A single movement can knock her off her feet. Alice and Jack are at the arcade game machine; flirting. Jack is teaching Alice to play the game. They are so close to one another and giggles ensures that they are having a good time. Danielle is at the table with Haseena. She had one shot of tequila; just because everyone was having one. Now she is having her beer and looking at Haseena whose ears are red and whose mind is a bit missing.
“Are you okay?” Danielle asks with her eyes on Haseena who is now drinking a bottle of water to fresh up. “What were you trying to prove?”
Haseena smiles and shows her charming dimples. Normally, she would do just that; a simple smile as an answer. Since she is a little tipsy, a smile is followed by an actual answer. “Jack would think that Karishma is a control freak and trying to control my life. No. She is too amazing of a person for people to think otherwise. I can’t let that happen.”
“I think Jack knows Karishma rather well. He wouldn’t think that.” Danielle offers different views as she looks at Haseena spinning her wedding ring on her finger with her thumb.
“Yeah. Maybe.” Haseena’s eyes are on the bottle of water in front of her and she smiles politely. “I don’t know Jack that well. I don’t know what he’s thinking.”
“Hm.” Danielle hums. “How long have you been together; you and Karishma?”
“A year.” Haseena squints her eyes to calculate the number that feels so impossible when there is alcohol running in her system. She uses her fingers to help with the counting. “Yeah. A year.”
“Married for a year?”
“No.” Haseena chuckles. She moves her eyes from the water bottle to Danielle and sees how her eyes are occasionally on her and how reserved she is. Danielle seems to be a bit mysterious. “No.”
“Oh. Okay.”
“That guy over there has been looking at you for the past 5 minutes.” Haseena says quietly without looking at the guy. “I’ll go to the rest room for a bit.”
Danielle looks over her shoulder to see the guy Haseena talked about. He is handsome and smiley. He is looking to make a move with encouragement from his friends at the table. She looks back at Haseena who is halfway to the rest room. She is busy with her phone while walking past Jack and Alice who are also busy flirting with one another. Now, they are at the jukebox choosing a song and just dancing along. They are having a good time whether how much they tried to deny it at first.
By the time they have to leave, Haseena gets a little bit more sober and senses have returned to her. They take a short journey by foot to Haseena’s place where Alice will spend the night. It is closer and it is more convenient. On their way, Jack and Alice walk ahead of Haseena and Danielle. They are talking quietly leaving some space between them but the sound of chuckling and giggling are still loud and clear. Haseena points here and there to explain the area to Danielle. Half of the information gets through to her. She just listens to Haseena’s voice most of the time and looks at her brushing her hair back. Haseena has done something to her. Something she has felt before but has yet been able to get comfortable with it or completely understood it.
“This is it.” Alice announces as they reach Haseena’s condo door and Jack briefly greets the doorman who remembers him since he sometimes stops by to see Karishma. “I guess I’ll call you?”
“Sure.” Jack responds. They are a bit awkward but able to manage to give each other a goodbye hug. “I’ll walk Danielle home.”
“Okay.” Haseena says whispery. “Good night.”
“Good night.” Danielle responds with a smile. She is hoping for a hug but Haseena stands there with both of her hands in her pockets and her eyes wander. “See you around.”
“Yeah.”
As Jack and Danielle walk off, Alice and Haseena make their way into the building and heads to the elevator.
“Maybe you have to be less friendly with that Danielle girl.” Alice says as Haseena presses the elevator button; then looks at Alice with questions in her eyes. “You can see that she has a huge crush on you, right?”
Haseena scoffs. “She doesn’t. And I was being polite, not friendly.”
“Haseena.” Alice pushes Haseena into the elevator once and repeat after me.”
“What?” Haseena presses the floor button and faces Alice again. “Fine.”
“’What would I do without you, Alice?’ say it.”
Haseena sighs. “What would I do without Alice?”
“I got you a wife and I’ll make sure it stays that way.” Alice announces her intention that gets Haseena chuckles in ridicule. Kevin should hear this.
“This is not about me. It’s about you and Jack.” Haseena changes the subject. She doesn’t agree with Alice’s observation but keeping arguing her will lead to nowhere. She is married and people with sanity will not do anything to interfere that.
“There is nothing between me and Jack.” Alice responds without having to think about it. “Just make sure that none of us end up in the ED so I don’t have to see him again.”
____
Haseena really needs to stay at office more rather then flaunting her beauty in front of ER.